Whew!

That pretty much sums up this afternoon's nailbiting 14-10 win over Amesbury.

The Pioneers overcame a lot (some spotty play, flagloads of penalties and a determined Indians team) but thanks to Evan Panzero's strip tackle and Tim Lamusta's return of the fumble for the touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Pioneers escaped with the win.

You can read all the details and check out my photos in this week's Lynnfield Villager later this week, but suffice to say the victory sets up a CAL Small showdown with Newburyport next week. This will be the biggest Lynnfield football game this late in the season in almost 20 years and the winner will have a significant advantage in the title race heading into the final three weeks of the season. Can't ask for more than that.

Check back for more on the Amesbury game and much more on The Showdown as the week unfolds.